Equation Editor

Creating a Text Entry Question With the Equation Editor

To create an interactive item question, begin by creating a new test in Aware or navigating to an existing test. The equation editor is only available for text entry questions. The TEA suggests text entry for use in mathematics, reading, language arts, and science assessments, but text entry is available for any assessment. Text entry follows the TEA’s examples and may be used in conjunction with text, images, and tables. 

Note: Assessments with interactive response questions may be printed as test booklets only, without answer documents available. This test is not scannable, nor will it have student IDs, class numbers, or any other information. Teachers must use the Enter Answers feature to manually input student responses for students taking a paper version of the assessment.

1. Select Interactive Item Types from the options. 

2. Select Text Entry from the available question types. 

3. Construct the Text Entry question. Use the Add Placeholder Response button to indicate where the text entry box should be located. Don’t highlight any text to create a placeholder item; otherwise, the equation editor won’t work. Select the Continue button to move forward.

4. Select a text box in the Question Preview. Under Settings for Selected Field, choose Elementary Math Editor or Secondary Math Editor in the drop-down menu. Input the correct answer using the selected equation editor, and add multiple correct answers if needed. You can use both equation editors on a single question. However, you can only apply one equation editor to a single text box field. 

Note: The elementary and secondary equation editors use different answer formatting. When using an equation editor, entering answers before changing the type of editor will clear all correct answers. A warning message will appear before any answers are cleared.

The default Text Editor is for a standard text entry question and will not be used for an equation editor question. Alternative text can be applied anywhere Latex is used for math. Alternative text is available on questions, answer choices, and resources. Alternative text functions like a content clarifier and can be added from a Questions tab, not from the Test Editor. 

The Elementary Math Editor is intended for grades K-5 and contains the following capabilities:

Numbers 0-9 Fraction Decimal Less Than Greater Than Multiplication Division Addition Subtraction Negative Sign Parenthesis Equal Sign

The Secondary Math Editor is intended for grades 6-12 and contains the same capabilities as the Elementary Math Editor along with several additions:

x y z Pi Square Root Superscript Less Than or Equal to Greater Than or Equal to Subscript

Note: When test authors or students click the multiplication symbol (x) in the Secondary Math Editor, it will appear as a center dot (⋅) in the text box.

5. When you have finished constructing your question and adding correct answers, select Create.

Student Experience 

Students will see the text entry question during online testing. The equation editor will appear once they click on a text box.

Students can use the equation editor to input their answers. The Elementary and Secondary Math Editors allow students to type additional letters using a keyboard. This is helpful to accommodate a variety of variables. Students can also use the keyboard for the following keystrokes:

• Left
• Right
• Up
• Down
• Tab
• 0-9
• + 
• - 
• . 
• ,
• =

Mark As Correct

In a test, it is possible for a teacher to overwrite student-generated text to change an incorrect answer to correct. However, leaving the student text and using the Mark as Correct button maintains the integrity of the data. If the Mark as Correct button is incorrectly selected, teachers can select the Unmark Correct button that will appear to revert the changes.

If a teacher has marked a question correct for a student, then the data view for Student Individual Responses will be updated. The field will be color coded as blue.

In the event a student submits a correct answer that the test author did not include when originally creating the question, the test author can add the answer and any other variations after the assessment is active.

Note: Adding additional answer choices after testing has begun may require a Rescore.

Data Analysis

Question Type is available in Quick Views. You can access Quick Views through the navigation bar or through the Quick Views card. 

Once in Quick Views, search for the assessment using the search fields. Click on the assessments you want to analyze and apply the Student Individual Responses template from the drop-down menu. 

Interactive questions will be indicated in data analysis next to the scores for each of those questions. The examples below show questions with three interactions. Teachers may view the exact question in the Enter Answers screen and modify student answers if needed. 

Question Type is available as a column for data views, located in the Responses folder.

This column will show the question type and in which question number the type is located.

Note: For district and campus level tests, the Questions teachers can answer and score option must be set to All Questions for editing privileges.

Additional Information

Visit the Interactive Item Types FAQ for more information.